DIY Sanitizers for Hands and Other Surfaces

This past week or so, depending on your location, has seen some rather astonishing behavior exhibited when people start to panic.  We've seen the videos of people going absolutely crazy buying toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  There have been the enterprising individuals scooping up all the hand sanitizer on the planet and then planning to make a hefty profit at the expense of stressed-out neighbors and people across the country.  They somehow did not recognize that such behavior is not going to end well.  Those enterprising individuals will be forever ostracized.

On the flip side, though, why the panic?  Why weren't they paying attention to world events?  Why weren't they prepared to care for their family in a crisis?  Why not just wash the hands really well?  Twenty seconds each and every time.  Do all these people panicking over hand sanitizer even know how to use it properly?

Hand washing and proper use of hand sanitizer were previously addressed.

HAND SANITIZER

 

I'm not entirely persuaded of the need to DIY hand sanitizer, mainly because simple hand washing is cheaper and more effective.  Furthermore, alcohol, the main ingredient in hand sanitizer, is very drying to the skin. Drying out the skin irritates and compromises it, and creates opportunities for infection. But perhaps for some reason, you don't have running water and the sanitation isn't great.

 

Most DIY recipes for hand sanitizer combine alcohol with aloe vera gel, which is moisturizing to a degree, in a 2:1 ratio, so 2 cups of 91-99% alcohol to 1 cup of aloe vera gel. Mix it up, and you have hand sanitizer. (Do not substitute 70% alcohol. When diluted with the aloe vera gel, it will not be strong enough to kill pathogens.) The World Health Organization provides its own directions for making hand sanitizer. Their formula uses glycerol, as it is substantially less expensive and more readily available in third-world countries than aloe vera gel.[1]

If you wish to substitute another alcohol, because you can't find rubbing alcohol, you need something like Everclear, something around 190-proof. Everclear isn't sold in many states by state law. Nevada is one of those states, so when we want 190-proof Everclear, we have to travel to Utah. However, if you recall, like I didn't, Indian reservations aren't subject to state laws regarding alcohol. So if you are in one of those states that bans the sale of Everclear, you might check liquor stores on Indian reservations. 

SANITIZING OTHER SURFACES
 

The first thing to consider when it comes to sanitizing other surfaces is the length of time the COVID-19 virus lives on these other surfaces.  Unfortunately, not a lot of research has been done yet, so at this point, researchers are using the data obtained from studies on SARS and MERS, related coronaviruses. 

 

At room temperature, 68°F, SARS lasts:

• Less than 8 hours on latex
• 2-8 hours on aluminum
• 2 days on steel
• 4 days on wood and glass
• 5 days on other metal and ceramics
• up to 9 days on plastics

Higher temperatures, like 86–104°F, shorten the viability of the virus; cooler temperatures, down to 40°F, increase viability.  Higher humidity (50%) increases virus viability; drier air (30%) decreases it.[2] 

Current belief is that porous surfaces like fabrics, hair, carpets, and money trap microbes and prevent them from being transferred so easily to people.  On the other hand, nonporous surfaces like handles, doorknobs, and laptops are quite efficient in transmitting viruses.[3]

Hard surfaces should be cleaned with an appropriate cleaner for that surface.  Then, they should be disinfected with a freshly made bleach solution using unexpired bleach.  Older bleach eventually degrades into saltwater and is of no efficacy in killing coronaviruses.  Most other pathogens are killed by a standard bleach disinfection solution of 0.01% bleach.  However, COVID-19 needs something 10 times stronger--0.1% bleach.  And the surface to be disinfected must be completely wet and allowed to air dry or be wet for at least one minute.  [4] [5]

To make a disinfecting solution, use 1/3 cup bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons per quart.  Make sure you are using relatively fresh bleach and use this solution within 24 hours.[6]  Other effective disinfecting solutions are 0.25% solution of povidone-iodine and 0.5% solution of hydrogen peroxide.  Vinegar, benzalkonium chloride, and chlorhexidine gluconate do not kill coronaviruses.[7]

Links to related posts:
Wash Your Hands!
The Scoop on Hand Sanitizer

References
[1]  "Guide to Local Production:WHO-recommended Handrub Formulations," World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/gpsc/5may/Guide_to_Local_Production.pdf?ua=1disinfecting solution (accessed 17 March 2020).

[2]  G. Kampf, et al., "Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents," Journal of Hospital Infection, March 2020, 104(3),
https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext (accessed 17 March 2020).

[3] "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19):  Clean and Disinfect," Centers for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fhome%2Fcleaning-disinfection.html (accessed 17 March 2020).

[4]  Ibid.

[5] G. Kampf, et al., "Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents," Journal of Hospital Infection, March 2020, 104(3),
https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext (accessed 17 March 2020).

[6] "Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19):  Clean and Disinfect," Centers for Disease Control, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcommunity%2Fhome%2Fcleaning-disinfection.html (accessed 17 March 2020).

[7] G. Kampf, et al., "Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents," Journal of Hospital Infection, March 2020, 104(3),
https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext (accessed 17 March 2020).

11.30.23